Start here: planting for pollinators
A garden planted with wildlife in mind is more beautiful than a garden planted for aesthetics alone — not less. The plants that support the most butterflies, bees, and birds tend to be the ones with the most character: native wildflowers, flowering shrubs, and perennials with interesting seed heads that carry on well into winter.
The most effective shift any gardener can make is replacing some lawn or ornamental plantings with native perennials. Native plants have evolved alongside the insects and birds in your region — they provide resources that foreign cultivars simply cannot replicate. A single native oak supports over 550 species of caterpillars. A cultivated ornamental supports close to none.
Featured articles
Advertisement
How to start a native plant garden
The most important advice for starting with native plants: begin small, begin with plants rather than seed, and choose species that are native to your specific region — not just your country or state. Local ecotypes are adapted to your exact climate and soils, and they support the insects that evolved alongside them.
Your best resource for finding true local natives is a native plant society, a native plant nursery, or a regional seed source. Box store “native” plants are often cultivars bred for appearance rather than ecological function, and some are sterile, producing no seeds or nectar.
Five excellent starter native plants
Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa), Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta), Blue wild indigo (Baptisia australis), and Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) are reliable, widely available, and support a remarkable range of pollinators and birds.
